Taking it back to middle school.
Papa Roach burst onto the music scene in 2000 with their debut single “Last Resort,” which to this day might still be their biggest hit. The rap metal band formed in Vacaville, California, first debuted the song for the movie Ready to Rumble, and then a few weeks later, released it on their sophomore studio album (and major label debut) Infest. The 4x Platinum record went on to earn the band a Grammy nomination and is still their best-selling album.
Just about anybody who was between the ages of 10 and 20, and perhaps many who were older than that in 2000, are familiar with the “Last Resort.” I think I was about 12 or 13 years old when it landed on alternative radio and MTV (back when they actually played music), and it was a massive hit for the band. And clearly, it’s stood the test of time.
Carrie Underwood was in high school when that song came out, and her love for metal has been well-documented. She’s been known to work out to metal (the soundtrack to her shredded legs), and has even joined rock legends like Guns N’ Roses on stage. She’s covered Ozzy Osbourne, and more recently, helped an American Idol contestant sing Drowning Pool’s “Bodies.”
Last night, she was on hand in Las Vegas to perform a few songs with Papa Roach… LIVE. Fans attending the Las Vegas stop of their Rise Of The Roach Tour got treated to a duet of “Last Resort,” as well as a live version of their recorded duet, “Leave A Light On.” A full circle moment for Carrie, no doubt.
Check it out:
“Last Resort”
Last year, Carrie joined the Bay Area band to reimagine their 2022 song “Leave a Light On (Talk Away the Dark)” as a duet.
A newer hit for the rock veterans, the song was first included on Papa Roach’s Ego Trip album in 2022, and released as a single the following year in collaboration with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention for their Talk Away the Dark campaign. Lead singer Jacoby Shaddix often dedicates the song to his friend and Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington, who sadly died by suicide in 2017.
Of course, “Last Resort” is also a song about suicide and was written for a roommate he caught trying to commit suicide. They were able to get the friend some help and he went on to find God and live a completely different life. However, in 2012, Shaddix confessed that he was having suicidal thoughts himself, and 12 years later, he says “the song was about me.”
Regarding “Leave a Light On (Talk Away the Dark),” the song was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee, and aims to:
“Continue the mission of the California band to raise awareness for suicide prevention and mental health awareness, alongside partner organization(s) the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention(AFSP), who will receive royalties generated from both artists from the song, in perpetuity.
The release will also raise awareness for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the United States and Canada.
Visit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention at AFSP.org to learn the warning signs and how to have a caring conversation, find support for those affected by this leading cause of death, and connect with your local AFSP chapter.”
And important message, and a powerful song:
“Leave A Light On”
Here’s the studio version:
If you or a loved one are in crisis, call or text 988 to be directly connected to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for free, confidential help, 24/7.
